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Birth-control debate lands at Colorado Capitol with competing rallies

By Kurtis LeeThe Denver Post

Posted:
03/13/2012 01:00:00 AM MDT

Updated:
03/13/2012 08:12:18 AM MDT

Dorothey Goldstone of Denver holds a sign in support of women's health at a rally Monday on the west steps of the state Capitol. Legislators and activists spoke at the rally. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)

The national debate over birth control arrived on the west steps of the state Capitol on Monday with two rallies featuring competing messages from legislators, activists and faith leaders over whether insurers should be required to cover contraception.

Democratic legislators gathered with officials from Planned Parenthood in a rally they styled as an effort to protect women's health. Hours later, Republicans assembled to cast the debate in terms of religious liberty as they assailed recently enacted rules by President Barack Obama's administration that require health insurance companies to cover the full cost of birth control for women.

"The wide-ranging discussion of reproductive rights and women's health is really kind of a masterful move by Democrats to change the political discourse in their favor," said state GOP consultant Katy Atkinson.

Obama's original mandate faced criticism because it required religious-affiliated hospitals and other institutions to cover contraception in employees' insurance policies — a move contrary to some religious beliefs. After an uproar from the Catholic Church and others, Obama reversed course, mandating that insurance companies supply the contraception instead.

Many observers think the move has helped the president with female voters, a key demographic in the upcoming election.

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"Interestingly enough, Republicans have been complicit in helping Democrats reframe the birth-control debate courtesy of Rush Limbaugh and other members of the party," said political analyst Eric Sondermann.

Competing rallies

Flanked by attendees with signs at the Planned Parenthood rally that read "Birth control, not bans" and "Stop the war on women," Colorado State University senior Meagan Como told the 150 in attendance that many of her classmates use birth control inconsistently.

Tom Gonzales, right, prays with others at the start of a rally Monday at the Capitol that cast the birth-control insurance debate in terms of religious liberty. (Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)

"Students are faced with the struggle of working minimum-wage jobs and having large college loans," Como said. "A woman should never have to choose between buying a bag of groceries or a pack of birth-control bills."

The statement echoes the congressional testimony of Georgetown University student Sandra Fluke, who became the subject of vitriolic rhetoric by conservative radio host Limbaugh. Last month, he accused Fluke of wanting taxpayers to pay for her to have sex, though he later apologized for his attacks.

"Colorado's women refuse to allow Rush Limbaugh to come in between decisions affecting women's health and their lives," said state Rep. Crisanta Duran, a Denver Democrat. "It is indeed unbelievable that in the year 2012, there is an attack on one of the most fundamental and important rights to women. It's the right to have access to health care and a woman's right to choose to make her own decisions in regard to health care."

Hours later, Republicans rallied to support symbolic state legislation that backs a U.S. House bill that would permit health insurers to decline certain coverage such as birth control or abortion services based on religious beliefs.

State Republican leaders contended that the Obama administration and Democrats are attacking the Constitution.

"The left has made this whole issue one about women's reproductive rights, and it's not about that at all," said Republican state Rep. Marsha Looper of Calhan. "The issue is our constitutional rights, the right to practice our religious freedoms as we see fit."

Talking point for Dems

Sondermann said if Democrats had their way, the party would make the birth-control debate a talking point up until November.

"Democrats would clearly try and follow the Michael Bennet formula and rally women voters," said Sondermann, referencing the 2010 Senate race between Bennet and Republican Ken Buck. "And a key part is to peel off support from independent and Republican suburban women."

Atkinson said all of the rhetoric in relation to birth control and women's health is popular background noise at this juncture in the election year.

"Both parties and candidates, from the presidential election to the congressional races, will be talking about the economy," Atkinson said. "That's what women and men voters will care about."

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